Conventional recording, mixing and mastering of audio data for music production for retail comprises studio based sound recordings, subsequent digital mixing and mastering by audio professionals followed by music production release such as by way of physical media such as compact discs and the like or release to a content computer network.
Such a process is ill suited for music production of audio data from live performances, for reasons including sound recording problems, scheduling problems, time delays during the mixing and mastering process, licensing and digital rights management problems, content distribution platforms and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,223,990 B1 (D1) relates to the problem removing noise from an audio signal (Col. 3, lines 20-23, FIG. 2, Col. 4, lines 27-31) by improving audio quality by reducing or removing wind noise (Col. 2, lines 19-29 and Col. 1 lines 34-43, Col. 3, lines 12-19 and FIG. 3).
As such, D1 discloses a solution of receiving an audio signal including audio data in multiple channels; identifying noise in the audio signal including identifying panning information for the audio data in the signal at each of multiple frequency bands; and attenuating the audio data at one or more frequency bands to generate an edited audio signal when the panning exceeds a specified threshold for each of the one or more frequency bands (Col. 1, lines 49-59).
US 20120093326 A1 (D2) relates to the problem of being able to easily search for a desired musical piece without stress from an unfathomably large number of musical pieces (Para. 0003).
Specifically, D2 discloses identifying musical “hooks” (being a climax of a musical piece) for musical piece searching so as to allow users to easily distinguish musical pieces without having to listen to introductory portion of a musical piece (Paras. 0004-0005). As such, D2 is directed to being able to accurately detect an audio change point based on an audio signal and extract a hook place at a high speed with high accuracy (Para. 0012).
Now, there is disclosed herein a system, content editing server, audio recording slave device and content editing interface for distributed live performance scheduled audio recording, cloud-based audio content editing and online content distribution of audio track and associated metadata.
Now, neither D1 nor D2 are directed to problems associated with audio content production for release on a content distribution network. Specifically, as discussed above, D1 is directed to reducing wind noise in audio signals, and D2 is directed to accurately identifying musical piece climaxes “hooks” for user musical piece discrimination convenience.
Further neither does D1 nor D2 disclose or even suggest the specific technical implementations disclosed herein relating to the main aspect of the embodiments describe herein of:                a. the utilisation of a plurality of distributed audio recording slave devices at a plurality of venues for live performance scheduled audio recording, the plurality of distributed audio recording slave devices operably coupled to a content editing server,        b. the artist scheduling of the audio recording slave devices using a cloud-based interface so as to cause the audio recording slave devices to automate the recording process,        c. the cloud-based audio content editing process comprising:                    i. a track editing interface for track boundry demarcation for creating a plurality of audio tracks from the recorded audio; and            ii. a metadata editing interface for generation of metadata for association with each of the plurality of audio tracks; or                        d. or content distribution of the audio data and associated metedata, including across a content distribution network.        
Further neither does D1 nor D2 disclose or even suggest the specific technical implementations disclosed herein relating to the sub aspects of the embodiments describe herein of:                a. Audio analysis of the audio data for automated live performance schedule end time variation detection;        b. acoustic fingerprinting technique for automated track identification for automated generation of the metadata;        c. automated audio levels optimisation of the audio data; or        d. reporting rights holders' data specifying at least one nominated right holder to a performance rights society server.        
Specifically, even were the problems of studio based sound recordings, subsequent digital mixing and mastering and music production release identified (which problems would probably not have been identified given at least the longevity of existing sound recording and mixing techniques), the notional person skilled in the art would not have implemented the end-to-end recording, editing and content release platform described herein. Rather, the person skilled in the art would have, and (especially considering so-called workshop improvements, design considerations and the like) may have been led, as a matter of course and by routing steps alone, rather to implement isolated improvements separately in relation to recording, content editing and distribution.
Furthermore, the end-to-end recording editing and content release platform described herein comprises significant technical obstacles to overcome, especially in the design of the audio slave recording devices to communicate with the content editing server, the client base interfaced artist configuration of recording schedules of the recording devices and the subsequent implementation of a cloud based editing interface, especially the responsive content editing interface disclosed herein for the purposes of audio track demarcation and metadata content generation.
Specifically, the system disclosed herein used autonomous recording hardware (audio recording slave devices) in combined with a suite of artist-facing content management tools allows for live performance audio data to be recorded, edited and released to a content distribution network for retail quickly and efficiently while meeting digital rights management and licensing requirements for adequate artist recompense.
Utilising a cloud-based content management system described herein, artists are able to create profiles/accounts for managing the scheduling, recording, mixing, mastering and optimisation of captured audio data from their live performances for distribution to an online retail network.
The system described herein implements a cloud-based content editing interface allowing for web or mobile-based configuration of recording schedules, cloud-based content editing of recorded audio data into individual tracks and the release of the individual tracks for online retail either through the system disclosed herein or 3rd party content distribution network.
The cloud-based content editing allows the association of metadata and the individual tracks, the metadata including images and appropriate rightsholder information and ISRC codes to the tracks for digital distribution.
The cloud-based content editing interface may allow for the archiving of those recordings for release at a later date.
The content editing system disclosed herein implements a considerable back-end process to allow for the secure editing of high-quality sound recordings by artists.
The audio recording slave device is a recording device that is venue-deployed so as to, for example, using a pair of connected ambient microphones and a left and right feed from the mixing console, capture audio recordings of live performances.
The audio recording slave device is operably coupled to a content editing server via the internet for the uploading of recorded audio and subsequent cloud-based editing by artists through the secure content-editing interface.
The audio recording slave devices may be controlled to record audio data in accordance with schedules configured by the artist using the cloud based content editing interface implemented by the content editing server. Specifically, the audio recording slave devices may receive schedules from the content editing server for storage so as to be able to initiate audio recording functionality at specified schedule times.
Whereas performance end times may be scheduled the system disclosed herein may autonomously determine performance end times so as to, for example, ensure an encore is not inadvertently not recorded if a band plays beyond a schedule end time.
Specifically, during a ‘local’ moving window of configurable length, the audio recording slave device may probe for specific signal-amplitude cues that indicate that the performance has begun. Once the audio recording slave device has determined that the performance has begun, a second ‘general’ moving window of configurable length is established which is used to determine the performance's typical peak and average levels. If the incoming signal drops significantly below the peak and average levels as observed by such moving windows for a configurable period of time (typically, 2 ‘local’ windows' duration) then it is determined that the performance has concluded, and thus the recording is finalised.
Furthermore, the system may be configured for autonomous track demarcation (the start and end time of separate tracks) detection. As such, live performance recordings appearing within artist's content editing interfaces may already have track demarcations.
The content editing system may implement audio data fingerprinting to automate the metadata generation and allocation process.
As such, using automated track demarcation and metadata generation and association, the artist content editing interface may display a complete recording of a performance with the tracks already demarcated and tagged with appropriate metadata, allowing for release to the content distribution network with little or no input from the artist.
The system may furthermore be configured for autonomous mixing, mastering and optimisation. In contrast to existing arrangements wherein mixing, mastering and optimisation is performed in a recording studio by a sound engineer (charging an hourly rate) for a period that often spans weeks and months, mixing, mastering and optimisation is performed autonomously by the system, allowing for the generation of digital music platform and broadcast quality audio.
The content editing server may be in constant communication with a plurality of audio recording slave devices (including up to many thousands of audio recording slave devices) in many venues around the world to query each audio recording slave devices for audio recording data ready for extraction.
The artist content editing interface enables artists to insert track marks to the audio recording (or edit track marks if this is already done), insert appropriate metadata and prepare the content for release, including via 3rd party digital music distribution platforms.
Further to the above, the insertion of metadata into each track may allow the system to report live performances including tracks played with associated nominated rights holders to performance rights societies (such as APRA|ACMOS in Australia) for associated nominated rights holder recompense.
The content editing interface may include additional editing tools allowing artists to edit their performances by enhancing the sound or incorporating tracks from various performances into one release (for example a track from each stop of a tour for the release a ‘Tour Best Of’).
As such, with the foregoing in mind, there are disclosed a system for distributed live performance scheduled audio recording, cloud-based audio content editing and online content distribution of audio track and associated metadata, the system comprising: a content editing server comprising a plurality of software modules comprising: a content editing interface management module configured for managing a client computing device content editing interface a plurality of audio recording slave devices in communication with the content editing server via Internet, each audio recording slave device comprising: an audio input interface configured to receive audio data from at least one audio input in use; and at least one artist client computing device in communication with the content editing server via the Internet, the client computing device configured to display a content editing interface managed by the content editing interface management module of the content editing server, wherein, in use: the content editing interface is configurable to receive a live performance schedule; the server is configured to configure an audio recording slave device with the live performance schedule received from the content editing interface; the audio recording slave device is configured for recording the audio data via the audio input interface in accordance with the live performance schedule; the server is configured for retrieving and storing, in an audio database, the audio data from the audio recording slave device; the content editing interface is configured to display: a track editing interface comprising at least one time series waveform representation of the audio data stored by the server in the audio database, the time series waveform representation comprising track demarcation controls configured for controlling track time demarcations to demarcate a plurality of audio tracks; and a metadata editing interface configured for editing metadata associated with each of the audio tracks; and the server is configured to distribute the plurality of audio tracks and associated metadata.
The server may be configured for audio analysis of the audio data for automated live performance schedule end time variation detection.
The audio analysis may comprise determining at least one of an average and peak value of the audio data for a first time window and detecting a drop in at least one of an average and peak value of the audio data for a subsequent time window.
The first time window may be a moving time window.
The audio analysis further may comprise detecting a signal amplitude cue indicative of a start of a performance.
The server may be configured for audio analysis of the audio data for automated track demarcation detection.
The audio analysis may comprise audio amplitude detection.
The track demarcation controls are placed at locations of the time series waveform in accordance with the automated track demarcation detection.
The lateral locations of the track demarcation controls are user configurable so as to vary the track time demarcations.
The timeseries waveform representation may comprise a major timeseries waveform representation representing the audio data and a minor timeseries waveform representation representing a subset of the audio data.
The timeseries waveform representation may be configured for panning.
The timeseries waveform representation may be configured for zooming.
The server may be configured for utilising an acoustic fingerprinting technique for automated track identification for automated generation of the metadata associated with each of the audio tracks.
The server may be configured for automated audio levels optimisation of the audio data.
The content editing interface further may comprise an audio level optimisation interface.
The server may be configured for reporting rights holders' data specifying at least one nominated right holder to a performance rights society server.
The server may be configured for utilising an acoustic fingerprinting technique for identifying the least one nominated right holder.
In distributing the plurality of audio tracks and associated metadata, the server may be configured to send the plurality of audio tracks and associated metadata to a 3rd party content distribution network server.
The audio input interface may comprise a stereo microphone interface.
The audio input interface may comprise a stereo mixing console interface.
The content editing interface may comprise at least one of a browser based and mobile phone software application-based interface.
In use, the server may be configured to: send audio configuration data to the audio recording slave device; the audio recording slave device may be configured to: output, via an audio output interface, audio configuration audio in accordance with the audio configuration data; receive, via the audio input interface, received audio configuration audio; and transmit, to the server, the received audio configuration audio.
The audio configuration audio may be at least one of white noise, swept sinewave and pink noise audio.
In use, the server may be further configured to make an audio configuration measurement in accordance with the received audio configuration audio.
In use, the server may be further configured to transmit, to the client computing device, the audio configuration measurement.
The audio recording slave device may be configured to transmit lossless audio data to the server.
The server may be configured to transmit downsampled audio data to at least one artist client computing device.
The metadata may comprise at least one of a start time of the track, an end time of the track, track name, at least one composer, at least one artist, at least one mixing engineer, a genre, a publisher, a label and keywords.
In use, the client computing device may be configured to receive, via the track editing interface, an audio licence selection; and
this server may be configured to associate the plurality of audio tracks with the audio licence selection.
Other aspects of the invention are also disclosed.